Search Lil' Blogger

Wednesday, 25 November 2015

BAPP Task 3d: Critical Questions and Issues That Emerge

Do some very specific ideas emerge about your networking and sources? Does your engagement to date seem appropriate? Limited? Focused? Planned? Unplanned?

Professional networking is something that I have been engaged in more than ever over the last year. Throughout my final year at English National Ballet School, I was having to contact Director's about jobs; look into what I wanted to move onto next and contact those of relevance; and just generally try and get myself known. The BAPP course however has opened up a new world of social media and online communication which I was previously quite unfamiliar with. Therefore I am able to engage with greater success and better grasp what is happening in my contact circle and beyond.

I feel that I have been generally focused, planned my time well and been aware of what tasks I should be completing and when. I do like however that a lot of what I then write about in my blogs is unplanned as I will spontaneously think of an idea or a concept that I wish to express and further explore. Having a blog is so valuable in this respect as you can, in little time, get something out there on the web for others to share and comment on. 

Are your ideas, position or concerns shared by others within and/or beyond your professional area of work?

I have mentioned in a previous blog of mine of the concerns that both my colleague and myself sometimes have whilst teaching young children. Running alongside this are the ethical issues that many teachers experience on a daily basis. It is being able to find that very fine line between being encouraging, enthusiastic and fun; and being more disciplined, honest and in demand of respect. As I work with children, it is also essential for me to maintain privacy and professionalism online; issues which again many teachers must face as they wish to protect the young people whom they work with. I am definitely much more aware of how I want to come across online and what information I am comfortable with sharing so as to protect myself, my colleagues and the students.  

Does sharing ideas and communicating with others shift your thinking, planning or practice?

Sharing and communicating my ideas with others does not necessarily shift my planning in an immediate sense as I very much like to have already planned in advance and adopt ideas along the way that will help me to reach my end goal. However having feedback off others definitely shifts my thinking allowing me to explore other areas that may contribute to my final goal. I really enjoy experiencing twists and turns in respect of the direction of my thinking, and having others to communicate with so easily adds in an extra twist here and there! When you allow others to influence your thinking it is surprising how many new and enthralling ideas can be discovered.  

Does critical reflection help you decide what really matters and the actions to take?

I have found critical reflection to be such a practical tool in terms of being able to critique myself and others. It is often easy to get off track when your ideas are running wild and you simply cannot wait to get them down. To be able to critique yourself in this situation to bring forth the ideas and concepts that really matter and are to be of use to you, is a really good skill to have. Equally, being able to confidently comment on others' ideas in a constructive manner can help you to refine your own perceptions as well as theirs.

In terms of taking action, I have been able to reflect on past situations where I have acted and not achieved the desired result. Once again, by being healthily critical of myself I have been able to, in more recent situations, assess how I should act towards a particular situation in order to get the most out of it.  

To what extent do concepts and theories assist you in thinking about your professional networking in different ways? And do these different ways of thinking have some purpose for you?

Whilst working through Module 1 of the BAPP course I have absorbed so many new concepts, theories and methodology combined with previously unfamiliar terminology. Picking up on these theories definitely assists me in finding starting points for exploration as well as adding greater depth and meaning to my own areas of research. Prior to starting this course, I had little knowledge on the differing methods of professional networking that have been highlighted by various individuals. It is quite fascinating to explore each distinct method and use them to think about how my professional network functions. 

Are you left thinking differently prior to this part of the module? And if so, how?

I am finishing this first module feeling more confident about using online resources and presenting my research in a way that I feel comfortable with. My next task is to complete my Critical Reflection and I am looking forward to concluding what I have learnt and reflecting on how I have expanded my knowledge, made new contacts and discovered areas that I would be interested in pursuing further for my final inquiry.   

Lil' Blogger

BAPP Task 3c: Sources of Information

Each and every one of us has our preferred methods of researching, gathering and presenting information. The sources from which we accumulate our information depend upon the content of what we are looking for. This could be something that we are personally interested in or have been asked to source and research for educational or work purposes. Thinking about how I acquire my information, I have settled on five sources that I commonly use on a weekly, if not a daily basis...



1. Internet (Google)
It is genuinely challenging to go a day without asking something of Google. Whether it is asking for the weather; for unknown facts; for celebrity gossip; for recipes, for music artists, for trip planning; for location exploring; the list is endless! It is such an incredibly useful tool and one which we seem to trust in above many other things. We like to insist that Google is right! When it comes to researching information for me personally, I like to use Google as a quick and convenient research tool. I'll simply type in the person or the subject that I wish to find out more about and immediately, a wealth of information is available to me. I have been using it to look up the many philosophers and theorists mentioned in the Readers and also to gain a better understanding of the meaning of some of the terms used and how they can be applied to professional practice. I have also been using it to source articles and build up references as I write my blogs.

2. Blogger
I am surprised at how much I actually use Blogger to fuel my research. It is so practical to be able to view other students' blogs on the BAPP course as it often helps me with my own research. I can grasp so much information about the course and its content simply by looking at other blogs. I have found it particularly useful to immerse myself in the blogs of Module 3 students as they give me such a solid impression of what is to be expected of the course and whether I am heading in the right direction. I also find that I become more familiar with new methodology and can be inspired to expand my own ideas and line of research. Blogger is a truly fantastic community to be a part of!

3. Social Media (Facebook and Instagram)
Facebook and Instagram are the two social media tools that I use the most. I also find them the most helpful and engrossing. These social platforms allow me to communicate with friends and other professionals who may be able to offer input to my research. If you like/follow a page or are a part of a group, you are constantly updated with information that will be of interest to you and may spur on new ideas that you can explore further.     

4. Face-to-face 
Face-to-face communication is the most effective form of communication that we have. It often feels as though social media and online tools are taking over from this method and that, due to mobile phones in particular, we have become more unsociable in a physical sense. I therefore support the use of face-to-face communication as I can see the benefits of using it for my research. I experience these benefits particularly whilst teaching at English National Ballet School on a Saturday. It is so refreshing to be able to communicate face-to-face with my colleagues, rather than doing it online, and I can obtain a wealth of knowledge from them instantly. If I were to ever want to conduct an interview or get someone's personal opinion on my work, I would much prefer to do this face-to-face. I just think that you can get a far better sense of what they are actually thinking/feeling whilst simultaneously, you feel as though your ideas are being heard, considered more thoroughly and appreciated more greatly.

5. Self Reflection/Exploration (past experiences)
My final and one of my most commonly used sources of information is a bit of a different one. I find that I can learn a lot and discover news ideas/themes for my research using self-reflection/exploration. If you are able to reflect on your past and present experiences, you can learn so much about yourself that can then be directed towards your research. You can use your knowledge of what you have experienced in the past to fuel what you are doing in the present and what goal you hope to reach in the future. You can learn from mistakes you have made; praise you have received; feelings and emotions you have had. All such factors allow you to make mature, rounded decisions on how to approach whatever situation you presently find yourself in.

So those are my five most frequently used research tools, all of which I feel are essential to the attainment of information that will feed my course. Some assist me to a greater extent than others, although being without one of them would not allow me to source information as broad and diverse.  

Lil' Blogger 

Tuesday, 24 November 2015

BAPP Task 3b: Theories Relating to Networking

It is fascinating for me to actually read into the different theories behind networking as it is an area that I was previously unaware of. How interesting it is that networking has, through previous research and presentation, been separated into different methods to be tried and tested and potentially greatly used  by network professionals.


Cooperation

The Oxford Dictionary defines cooperation as:

1. The action of working together to the same end;

2. Assistance, especially by complying readily with requests.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/cooperation



When I think of cooperation, I think about working harmoniously with another person or within a group of people. I think about successfully communicating and working towards a common goal. I think about the wider picture in terms of political, social, cultural cooperation. It is a universal mechanism that is fundamental to the function of our world. 

Cooperation has to be a two-way thing which may result in mutual gains or one party exploiting another to achieve a better outcome. Robert Axelrod explains this well in his written research 'The Evolution of Cooperation'. He analysed players using the game 'Prisoner's Dilemma' finding that TIT FOR TAT, "merely the strategy of starting with cooperation, and thereafter doing what the other player did on the previous move" (Axelrod, 2006, p 8), was the most widely used strategy. For Axelrod, this proved that "cooperation based solely on reciprocity" (Axelrod, 2006, p 8) was completely achievable and could be transferred to local, regional, national and international situations.

Cooperation is at its most easily obtainable when the parties are willing to accept no more or no less of what the other party is suggesting. There is nothing more pleasing than having simple, easy and effective cooperation with another person, a business, a company etc. Without such uncomplicated cooperation, we can feel inconvenienced by those who we are in communication with. We can perhaps feel as though we have been unjustly treated, especially is the other party benefits more so from the situation.

In terms of actively running your own professional network, successful cooperation with those within your sphere of contact is absolutely essential. In professional practice, it is rare that we will make it far without cooperating with those who can support and help us along the way and offer valuable input to our work. For me, I feel that my level of cooperation within my professional network is at a good level. I make an effort to keep in touch with those who play an important part in both my professional and my personal life. However I do wish to make more of an effort in actually commenting on other individuals' blogs so that my opinions can be voiced and I am immersing myself in different ideas and concepts. I am also aware that in order to advance my career, it is important for me to get myself out there and set up news ways of communication with other professionals. This will enhance both the quality and the resulting personal and mutual gain from cooperating successfully within the professional world.

Affiliation

We all like to affiliate ourselves with other people. It is a part of human nature that we like to form relationships and craft a network of love, friendship, help and support around us. We all have to have someone that we can trust in and rely on in order for us to mentally function and deal with the world around us. We are social beings and it is not often that we will go a day without affiliating ourselves with another individual. I struggle to think of the last time that I either saw or spoke to no-one in a single day - it's a truly hard thing to do and one which we do not like to familiarise ourselves with regularly.

Our fundamental desire to affiliate varies from person to person. Some are more dependent on people than others; some people are naturally more private and reserved; whereas others are openly communicative and confident enough to make affiliations with greater ease. Levels of affiliation and privacy can be measured using two different methods. These methods are highlighted in Richard Crisp's and Rhiannon Turner's book 'Essential Social Psychology' and are as follows:

Privacy Regulation Theory
"...argues that our ideal level of privacy (as opposed to sociability) fluctuates over time, influenced by two principles. According to the dialectic principle, our desire for privacy (versus affiliation) can vary from being open to others or closed off to others, even in the space of a few hours. We also operate by an optimization principle, where we try to align our desired level of contact with our actual level of contact with others. If we have too little contact, we feel isolated, but if we have too much contact, we feel crowded." 
(Crisp and Turner, 2007, p 323)

It is interesting what can be gathered from this theory. The fact that we, as human beings, experienced feelings of both over-crowding and isolation that are completely relative and subjective. Our environment, the people we are with and even the emotions that we are experiencing at the time can all influence whether we long for affiliation or privacy at different times throughout the day.  
 
Social Affiliation Model  
"This model proposes that rather than showing wide variations in our need to affiliate, we operate according to the principle of homeostasis. This is the idea that people control their level of contact with others to keep it stable and as close as possible to a desired level."
(Crisp and Turner, 2007, p 323)

The social affiliation model points out that we, being the complex beings that we are, can control our level of contact with others and perhaps subconsciously. Those with an innate sense of homeostasis are likely to feel the most comfortable in any given situation as they have assessed, maybe beforehand or during a situation, how affiliated they wish to be with those around them.   

As well as the two methods emphasised above; biological, social and cultural factors also have an effect on how much we may choose to affiliate ourselves with others. An individuals central nervous system can determine how great the need is to affiliate with others. It has been shown "that introverts are higher in arousability, the degree to which stimulation typically produces arousal of the central nervous system, than extroverts" (Crisp and Turner, 2007, p 324). 

I have been thinking about to what extent a person would wish to affiliate themselves with others in their professional network. How do you maintain enough distance that it remains professional, but also enough affiliation so as to build a professional relationship based upon trust and mutual cooperation. I think that it is all about being a considerate, communicative, reasonable, fair and approachable person. If you had regular contact with a colleague who you found to be irrational and therefore intolerable, you would struggle to work well with them and perhaps find that your own work suffers as a result. However if you found yourself working with an individual who maintains the qualities listed above, you are far more likely to enjoy your work, be successful in it and form relationships on the basis of both satisfying and worthy affiliation.

Social Constructionism
The world and objects in the world may be in themselves meaningless; yet they are our partners in the generation of meaning and need to be taken seriously.
(Crotty, 1998, p 44)

I found this concept at first a bit tricky to grasp until I honed in on how we, as humans, put our own meaning to the world and the objects within it. We each individually see the world through different eyes and therefore have something new, something different to offer to the world around us. 

 


In Michael Crotty's 'The Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and Perspective in the Research Process', we are informed that "when the mind becomes conscious of something, when it 'knows' something, it reaches out to, and into, that object" (Crotty, 1998, p 44). In other words, we form conscious relationships with the objects around us in our effort to understand them, use them and work with them. Think of this in terms of your professional network. In order to maintain existing and create new professional networks, we must be able to reach out, interact and form cohesive relationships with previously unknown objects. Our world is filled with things that we know very little about and so I am all for putting yourself out there; do not be afraid to engage with others and to your network.  

Crotty also draws upon the idea of intentionality meaning (in terms of constructionism) "referentiality, relatedness, directedness, 'aboutness'" (Crotty, 1998, p 44). When I first saw the word 'intention' in Crotty's research, I immediately linked the word to ideas of purpose or deliberation. Yet in this case, being intentional means to be able to relate to something in the world around you; to direct your attention to it and learn about it. Again, this is such a useful skill to have when working amongst other professionals as it makes you stand out as someone who can be confident, innovative and purposeful in their work.       


Connectivism

The theory of Connectivism attempts to express how a person learns. It holds that learning is a socially enacted process which, instead of addressing the learning that occurs externally to us (e.g. learning stored by technology), looks at learners who "create knowledge as they attempt to understand their experiences" (Driscoll, 2000, p 376). George Siemens in his article 'A Learning Theory for the Digital Age' comments; "Learning needs and theories that describe learning principles and processes, should be reflective of underlying social environments" (Siemens, 2004, p 1). In other words, the world around us completely influences how we learn and therefore affects the shape and content of our network.

We learn new and refreshing things every day making learning "a lasting changed state...brought about as a result of experiences and interactions with content or other people" (Siemens, 2004, p 3). This sounds very much like how a network functions. What we learn is constantly changing due to those who are surrounding us and in what environment we find ourselves. Our networks continually expand engulfing more content and more contacts with their own ideas, theories and beliefs. We can never truly stop learning in this world and, as humans, will create knowledge as we experience things throughout our lives which we attempt to understand.

To learn is to interact with content or other people so as to enable us to connect with our network and its "rapidly altering foundations" (Siemens, 2004, p 11). Discoveries are made every single day meaning we need to be vigilant in drawing distinctions between important and unimportant information. It will be a purely based on the individual as to whether a piece of new information may be helpful to them, their work, their life; or not so helpful in which case it is unnecessary adopt it into your network. It is equally essential that, as professionals, we are able to "recognise when new information alters the landscape based on decisions made yesterday" (Siemens, 2004, p 11). If we can notice patterns of change within our network then indeed it is essential for us to successfully manage what new information is causing such changes and why.

Reading through Siemen's article, I have selected a few of the principles of Connectivism that caught my attention:
  • Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions.
  • Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning. 
  • Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.
(Siemens, 2004, p 11)

What stood out to me was that all three of these principles can be related to your own professional network placing, in my opinion, emphasis on the usefulness of having one. I feel that by having a network you are increasing your chances of learning through experiencing diversity of opinions; through nurturing and maintaining connections; and through observing connections between fields, ideas and concepts. Connectivism in this sense can play a hugely valuable part in our professional lives as through it we can grow more accustomed to interacting, communicating and building up a core skill base.   
    


Communities of Practice

A community of practice is a set of relations among persons, activity, and world, over time and in relation with other tangential and overlapping communities of practice. A community of practice is an intrinsic condition for the existence of knowledge, not least because it provides the interpretive support necessary for making sense of its heritage.
(Lave and Wenger, 1991, p 98)

We are all, every single one of us, involved in communities of practice be it in education, work, social clubs, relationships, organizations, local or specialised communities etc. It is through these communities of practice that we learn using a process of engaging in social relationships and co-participating in any given situation or environment appropriate to that community. These type of learning forums are usually more informal, social and often specialised, consisting of individuals who share mutual interests and experiences. Being a member of a community of practice can give you a sense of belonging, a sense of symbolism for what you are involved in. Being able to relate to those around you, uphold each other in your mutuality and build up a community of like-minded individuals is quite a precious thing to have. There is nothing more wonderful than finding a place to go and a group of people to spend time with who, whilst in their company, make you feel valued, heard and cared for.

In terms of learning communities of practice do, in my opinion, excel in encouraging participation and sharing interpretations of knowledge specific to that community. Without participation, learning cannot function, nor can it equally function without sharing knowledge. What communities of practice do with these two essential factors is present them in a way that is more social and therefore human-friendly. As expressed before, we are social beings who can become very disheartened when lonely or without others to spend time with. So by using a community as a platform for learning, we are ticking all of the boxes as we have the opportunity to spend time with others in an often more informal setting, whilst simultaneously expanding our minds and being able to offer our input.

Communities of practice directly expand our network offering us immediate contacts and content to interact with. Immersing yourself in community is perhaps one of the easiest ways of creating a healthy and diverse network through which you can keep in touch with those who you take a liking to; those whose ideas and concepts you found most engrossing; and those you wish to inspire or be inspired by.    

To finish, it has been engaging and interesting for me to immerse myself in the various theories of learning. I have enjoyed the challenge of making the connection between what each learning concept has to offer and how you can apply it to your network. I will certainly be looking to expand my communities of practice as I like the idea of being able to learn in a more informal environment where my views are valued. Additional to this, I am rather intrigued by the theories of affiliation and how are relationships with those around us affect how we are as individuals.

Any comments are welcome!  

Lil' Blogger  

Axelrod, Robert (2006) The Evolution of Cooperation, Preface, Basic Books

Crisp, Richard J. and Turner, Rhiannon N. (2007) Essential Social Psychology (2nd edition) Chapter 11: Affiliation and attraction, SAGE

Crotty, Michael (1998) The Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and Perspective in the Research Process, Chapter 3: Constructionism: the making of meaning, SAGE

Driscoll, Marcy (2000) Psychology of Learning for Instruction, Needham Heights, MA, Allyn and Bacon

Lave, Jean and Wenger, Etienne (1991) Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation, Chapter 4: Legitimate peripheral participation in communities in practice, Cambridge University Press 


Siemens, George (12/12/2004) A Learning Theory for the Digital Age, sourced from
http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm (accessed 16/11/2015)

Friday, 20 November 2015

BAPP Task 3a: Current Networks

A network can simply be defined as connections between entities. Computer networks, power grids, and social networks all function on the simple principle that people, groups, systems, nodes, entities can be connected to create an integrate whole. Alterations within the network have ripple effects on the whole.
(Siemens, 2004, p 9) 



Professional networking is a hugely important factor in anyone's professional life. It shapes how we communicate, interact and propel ourselves through the professional circles we find ourselves in. Who we will meet and the terms upon which we meet are all dependent upon what profession we have chosen to pursue. For me my circle of contacts, including mostly friends, are in the arts and more specifically the ballet profession. Having trained for so many years in that kind of environment, you surround yourself with those who teach and practice it thus building up a contact list of individuals immersed in the dance arena.

It is often said that it is "who you know, not what you know" that will get you far in life. To a certain extent, this statement can be believed to be true as it is advantageous to any individual in any profession to have contact with those higher up on the professional ladder. More advanced individuals may be able to put in a good word, encourage promotion and land you with a great deal of respect from others in the same profession. However I also like to advocate that hard work, determination and depth of knowledge in your chosen career can also get you far. There is nothing more satisfying than achieving something purely on your own merit, and situations such as this also occur in the professional world if an individual can make enough impact with their effort.

In terms of my own professional network, I feel that it is rather limited and I was at first unsure of how I would write in detail about what my professional network is and how I use it. From reading others' blogs ,I now have a better understanding of how I can best describe my network and how it is exercised in my everyday life...

I believe that my professional network is something that is, at the moment, largely rooted within the ballet arena. As I previously explained, my training has opened up doors to contacts within the ballet world of all different vocations. I have the opportunity to see some of these individuals when I teach at English National Ballet School on a Saturday. It is so fantastic to be able to remain in their contact sphere and keep them informed of what I am up to. I think that it is so important to keep in contact with individuals, past or present, and show them your support in whatever they are doing; be it a performance, an event, any important occasion.

Additional to this, I use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, You Tube, Pinterest and Flickr for both social media purposes and for professional networking to a certain degree. Using social media for professional networking is a highly practical and convenient tool as you can so easily follow those who you admire or are inspired by. I feel that it difficult however to distinguish between using social media for reasons of enjoyment, or for professional purposes. It is awfully easy to get distracted on Facebook or Instagram, as both lead you down irrelevant yet dangerously entertaining paths that you can get completely caught up in. Instead of perhaps exploring something of value to your professional life, you can end up watching humorous videos or flicking through a friends holiday photos. For me, Facebook and Instagram are the social media tools that I use daily and predominantly for enjoyment. Sites such as Twitter on the other hand are more suited to following people of greater professional stance and finding out about what they are up to.

I must also mention my email account and my blog. I always give my email out as a first point of contact and it is the tool from which I will contact my workplace, send important documents and have one-to-one conversations with those in my network. I love how my blog has created a new device through which I can contact individuals on the BAPP programme and beyond; and also get my thoughts, ideas and course development across through written word, images and videos.





Looking at more established companies and professionals, they will have far more tools in place to operate their professional network. These could include events, fundraisers, advertising and marketing, workshops, training days, social media accounts; anything that will connect other professionals in the industry. Thinking about what I have experienced in the past in relation to professional networks, English National Ballet School held numerous events throughout the year to raise their profile. One of the most innovative events was a live stream of the school including interviews with staff and students and various dance performances also by the students. This live stream could be viewed anywhere around the world and was also available online after the actual event. This was a very clever way of getting publicity for the school and attracting potential dancers and their families, from all over the world, to train at the school.

Realistically within my current weekly schedule, I feel I can manage sufficiently with what professional network I have and I am aware that adding anymore to it could be difficult. However once my career path becomes a bit clearer, I can focus my energies on building up my professional network and working it around those industry professionals who will be most beneficial for me to be in contact with. It is definitely something that I will keep working on and expanding in the days, months, years to come.

Lil' Blogger


Siemens, George (12/12/2004) A Learning Theory for the Digital Age, sourced from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm (accessed 16/11/2015) 

Monday, 16 November 2015

BAPP Task 2d: Inquiry

For this task I wanted to think outside the box. I wanted to combine the ideas that are flitting about in my brain to form the basic lines of my future inquiry...

Where do I start? Where do I want to put my focus? What do I do on a daily basis that I can incorporate?

Using these questions, as well as reflecting on my blog and my previous research, I have fallen upon key words, strands of thought and resulting ideas that I would like to elaborate on. As I am not in full-time work I found some of the questions posed in Task 2d from Reader 2 (you will see these below), rather difficult to answer as I do not have a set daily routine of working in the same environment with the same people. I spend some days studying at the Middlesex University campus, I spend others studying at home, I work 2-3 days in Selfridges and I have my steady Saturday job at English National Ballet School (ENBS) on their Juniors programme. My week consists of such a mixture of activities and experiences that it is challenging to just focus on one of them and put my energy into writing an inquiry about themes that are relatable to one specific thing.

However when I started to think of the bigger picture, rather than focusing on having to write about one specific area of professional practice that I encounter during my week; I noticed themes that caught my attention and made me think in greater depth about what interests me and how I can use it moving forwards.  

I have answered the following questions in a way that best suits the direction in which I wish to go with my inquiry. My answers may not be straight forward and may not reflect a particular area of my professional practice, but they do contain areas of significance to me.
  
1. What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?

The Law makes me very enthusiastic. I am currently studying and working through a fast track A Level in Law which requires me to study, through distance learning, 4 modules with 4 exams to be taken next summer. The only way I find the motivation to study something as in-depth and intricate as this, and all off my own back, is because of my sincere interest in this area of our society. It is something that I want to pursue in the future once I have, with hope and hard work, completed the BAPP programme. It is something I make an effort to do each day, or as often as I can when I am working, and I have been thinking long and hard about how I can incorporate it into my line of inquiry. It is something that I feel proud of doing and I look forward to that sense of accomplishment as I progress with it in the future.

It is difficult to pin point someone who makes me enthusiastic in this area as, at the moment, it is very much something that I am doing alone. I can only think of the inspiration and the drive that my friends and family build up around me. They inspire me to want to work hard at something that makes me happy and makes me feel like I am achieving something for myself. Aside from this, I do wholly admire those individuals who want to go into a prestigious subject, such as Law, who have not necessarily been down the traditional education route. My path has been a interesting one to say the least. Training to become a professional ballet dancer for years to then decide to pursue something completely different without all of the traditional qualifications behind me is an unusual one. But it is a completely reachable goal, especially if you look at all of the other options out there that can allow you to fulfill your aspirations. It makes something that seems impossible in the moment, to becoming totally possible if you put your mind to it and expect some testing times along the way. 


2. What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found a way to work around the sadness or anger?

Anger and sadness. Feelings of mine that can surface if I am stressed, tired, feeling disorganised or behind in something, or having a bad experience with a customer at work. This sounds like an extensive list of things that can make me angry or sad but, being openly honest, it is not often that I do get angry or particularly sad. I like to think optimistically; a cup half full not half empty type of girl. It is in those times when we do feel those emotions bubbling up inside, that it is good to take a moment to yourself; to rest, to regroup, to put a positive spin on whatever experiences you have had or are having.

During my work on a Saturday, I assist in teaching 8 ballet classes with a wonderful teacher who takes charge and leads the structure and content of the classes. It is this individual who inspires me in times when my patience may be running thin or I am becoming worried about the progression of the children reflecting poorly on the teachers. She reminds me that there is only so much we can do and that as long as we are trying our best to engage with the children, to push them just hard enough and to introduce to them all the necessary ballet vocabulary for their age, then we are fulfilling our roles      

3. What do you love about what you do? Who do you admire who also seems to love this or is an example of what you love?

There are many things that I love about what I do depending on what area of my life I choose to focus on.

With Law Study I love...
- the level of academic content
- having quiet study time
- accomplishing something for myself that will help to point me in the right direction for what I desire in the future
- learning something new all the time
- grasping such an essential area of our society
- imagining making a difference with it in the future

With Selfridges I love...
- having friendly and welcoming colleagues
- meeting new people everyday
- building on my people skills (customer service)
- working in such a luxurious environment

With ENBS Juniors I love...
- being involved with ballet as an art form
- assisting children in learning and progressing in ballet
- having a wonderful teacher and pianist to work with
- training potential dancer's of the future 

This is definitely a shortened version of what I love about my professional practice! It is so thrilling to be part of a university and experience student life as well as being able to interact with so many people at Selfridges, and teach children the art form that I love the most on a weekly basis at ENBS.

I am privileged to be able to work with so many inspirational, hard working and enthusiastic people each and every week, no matter what field they are in. I admire my friends at university for all the hard work and love they put into their own areas of study; I admire the  talented make-up artists, fashionistas and salespeople I meet at Selfridges; and I admire the dedication and determination to strive for excellence amongst those I work with at ENBS. 

4. What do you feel you don't understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it or who has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, or has asked the same questions as you?

I sometimes cannot understand how, when in such a prestigious and inspiring environment, some (not many) of the children that I teach ballet to give the impression that they do not wish to participate. When I was their age, I would have given anything to have taken weekly classes at English National Ballet School and to be amongst the students who are training at a professional level. Really how many 4 year olds can say that they learn ballet at one of the most renowned places of classical training. Yet the odd few still choose to be unresponsive and uncommitted to their ballet class, even though it takes up no more than an hour of their week

I must highlight however that the majority of the children are excited to be there and probably feel very lucky to be given the opportunity to learn ballet in a place that they are inspired by and in awe of. I regularly have parents approach me and comment on how much their child loves ballet, how it is the highlight of their week and how they cannot wait to get into the studio to learn. I do see these features in many of the children, but it is always upsetting to me to see those who maybe do not want to be there and are not prepared to give full effort. I do of course understand that ballet is not for everyone, some will find it more of a challenge than others and yes, maybe they do not truly want to take part. But to a teacher this is a difficult thing to work with as you have to remain as enthusiastic and as encouraging as possible, even if you observe poor effort from the minority.

I have had discussions surrounding this basis with my colleague at English National Ballet School who teaches alongside me. She often feels as frustrated as I do in these situations and cannot understand why the children do not always want to be fully determined to work hard. But she has found a way of putting a positive spin on these issues looking at the fact that we do the best that we can, and it is up to the children to then meet us half way and want to engage with us. She always manages to remain a positive, energetic and committed teacher turning, what can be very negative questions into something quite beautiful.       

5. How do you decide the appropriate ethical response in a given situation? To what extent are disciplinary responses different to what you might expect more generally in society? For example, what level of physical contact would you deem appropriate (and not) from another professional that you would find unacceptable more generally? Why?

The area in which I am required to think the most about appropriate ethical responses is when I am working with children at English National Ballet School. During the ballet classes, it is important to maintain a sense of discipline for the children to respond to yet at the same time, you have to make learning fun and engaging so as not to make the children feel worried or negative about what they are doing.

The children that I work with are very young and therefore; at an age when they are easily so influenced; it is important to build their confidence rather than allowing the stricter elements of learning ballet to take over. For me it is all about finding a balance between being firm to make sure that they behave appropriately, whilst simultaneously creating a lively and enjoyable environment. It is about earning the respect from your students and expecting them to be quiet when told or to concentrate and focus on what you have asked of them. Again, due to their age, they can get easily distracted and so it is a constant battle with their minds to keep them responding fully to what exercises you are setting during class.

Working with an age range of 3 to 11 year olds, you have to gage what each group of children will respond to the best. With some classes I have noticed that you need to be much firmer giving possible sanctions for misbehavior such as sitting out and not participating or, in more extreme cases, being sent out if the disruption is affecting the other children too severely. On the other side of this, certain groups of children need constant positive feedback and encouragement in order to motivate themselves during class. I on the whole believe that it is essential to be an encouraging and positive teacher otherwise you run the risk of mentally affecting your students in a counter-productive way making them feel defeated and inadequate. Of course you must maintain and aura of discipline and respect, but do it in a way that actually makes the children want to respect you rather than fear or dislike you.   

Within the ballet profession, it is completely normal to have physical contact between a teacher and a student in order to correct the body sufficiently and allow it to respond in the right way. Therefore, in a dance environment, you would not be shocked to see a teacher physically touching their student (in an appropriate way) with the purpose of correcting them. Yet in most other professions, meaning external to the dance and even the sporting arena, it would be far more inappropriate to have physical contact with a student or a colleague. Society views physical contact in an environment such as in an office or a school, to be highly unsuitable and unprofessional. I must admit that if I was to witness, for example, a teacher in a high school touching another student in a way similar to what ballet training requires, I would be shocked, disturbed and tempted to report them. How fascinating it is to notice that, across the spectrum of different types of training and education, physical contact is such a sensitive subject matter that can be perceived as being immensely inappropriate if done in a certain environment. 
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now that these questions have been answered, I want to specifically hone in on what I want my inquiry to be based around. Scanning through my previous blogs, I found terms which, when broken down, helped me to arrive at destinations from which I feel I could develop an inquiry of great interest to me. The terms are as follows:


CHANGE: because I have recently experience colossal life changes with regards to what my future may hold and the path that I have chosen to pursue

AGENCY: because I am acting independently and making my own choices therefore setting change in motion

PASSION: because it motivates and drives me everyday to carry on working hard and achieve my goals

DEVELOPMENT: because I feel I have developed mentally and now use successful methods of reflection to oversee my development

From these terms I then thought:

How can I further change my own life and potentially change others' lives in the future, doing something that I am passionate about which will exercise my agency and fuel my development?  

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Afterthought...

An aspiration of mine is to study and finally practice Law. I find, and have always found it, a fascinating subject with such a diverse range of areas to be practiced. As a subject of study it requires patience, hard work, a sharp, logical mind and definitely someone who enjoys reading. Additional to this, confidence, self assurance, determination, a handful of grit and a love of researching, presenting evidence and doing what's best for whoever you are representing collectively make a great lawyer.

You're probably wondering how this is relevant to the BAPP Programme but I guess the idea is that we can find interest in, research and pursue whatever we like so long as we can relate it to professional practice.

To me, practicing Law doesn't have to be all about paperwork, reading, writing and becoming a slave to the office. Although this is of course involved to a certain degree, I like to think of it as a profession that gives you the power to help people, change minds, alter opinions and allow the justice system to evolve.

I often imagine the courtroom to be a sort of stage, a forum within which, when it is time for you to present your case, all eyes are on you and whatever you say and do holds much responsibility and meaning to whoever is involved. Many of us throughout of lives have had to perform in front of an audience be it through singing, dancing, acting etc. Well I like to argue that representing someone in court is similar to this. You have to be confident, speak publicly, argue, fight and put on a show. Although this time the show is not scripted, choreographed, rehearsed, performed then its time to go home. No! It is real life, real people and their futures are involved; that just makes it all the more thrilling!

Now that I have expressed my enthusiasm for this incredible industry I'd like to talk about my own, although at present limited experience, in this area. Earlier this year and as a resident of the Big Smoke, I took myself off to the Old Bailey, London's Central Criminal Court just northwest of St. Paul's Cathedral. Rebuilt in 1673 following the Great Fire of London less than 10 years before, it is a grand, intimidating piece of architecture within which thousands of people create a hub of intense activity on a daily basis.

I went through security checks and was instantly dazzled by the architectural beauty and magnificence of the buildings décor. The ceiling reached an amazing height, there were long corridors everywhere with imposing wooden doorways and regular signs pointing you in the direction of the many courtrooms. So being the curious person that I am, I went exploring around the huge site, eager to absorb all of the fascinating history within its walls. Eventually I found a courtroom with a trial in session. I quietly slipped inside and sat myself down in the public gallery. Wow! It was the first time I had ever experienced such an environment and I cannot deny how much it inspired me to pursue Law. I really do hope to go again soon and add to my experiences of this captivating world.

I have been thinking fiercely about how I can relate this fundamental element of our society to my final inquiry. Within this vast subject I have chosen to focus on how artistes, no matter what area of the arts or entertainment profession that they are in, are represented in our society. How do they go about ensuring that they receive the correct pay; a fair contract; equal treatment; a good standard of living; avoid exploitation; have mental and physical health care etc. I want to look at the legal side of an artistes profession and what goes in to ensuring that they have secure employment and sufficient legal representation if needs be. By choosing this subject, I am incorporating change, agency, passion and development; themes which I was originally inspired by and have used to evolve my ideas.


I have lots to think about and research here; let me know what you think!

Lil' Blogger